John William Kincheloe

JOHN WILLIAM KINCHELOE, for many years actively identified with the commercial affairs of Rectortown in Fauquier County, represents ail old and well known family in this section of Virginia..

The family tradition is that five brothers of the name came from England, two of them locating in Fauquier County, two in Prince William County, while the fifth brother went to Kentucky, and one of his descendants is now in Congress from that state. Brant and Hardwick Kincheloe were the brothers who located in Fauquier County. Hardwick Kincheloe was the grandfather of John William Kincheloe of Rectortown. He and his brother lived on adjoining farms about five miles from Rectortown. Hardwick died at the age of fifty-eight, some years before the Civil war, and is buried at Middleburg. His children were: John William, who served under Gen. Stonewall Jackson in the Confederate army, was a substantial farmer at Rectortown and twice represented the county in the House of Delegates; James M., who died while attending school; Elislia D., who also rendered soldier service, was a successful farmer, a magistrate of his district and twice a member of the House of Delegates; Thomas J., who marched under General Longstreet in the Confederate array, was a farmer and successful business man and died wealthy near Rectortown; Conrad Bitzer; and Annie, the only daughter, who married Major Hudson and lived near the Plains in Fauquier County and is buried at Middleburg.

Conrad B. Kincheloe, father of John W., was born near Rectortown in 1832. He began his career as a farmer, but subsequently took all salesmanship and was a commercial traveler for many years. Most of the time he represented the Timberlake and Muslin firm of Middletown, Virginia. He died in Rectortown at the age of sixty-nine. During the wear between tire states lie was under General Hunton’s command. The Hunton as well as the Payne family of Pauquier County were all intimate associates. Conrad B. Kincheloe was a power in politics in his locality, though never a candidate for public office himself. He was not a member of a church, but his brother, John W., was a prominent churchman. Conrad B. Kincheloe married Vidie Glascock, member of the old family of that name in this section of Virginia. He died in 1898, at the age of fifty-eight. The children of Conrad B. Kincheloe and wife were: James M., of Upperville; Bertha, wife of Martin Welfley; Miss Blanche, of Rectortown; Mary, widow of Robert Pletcher, of Delaplane; Minnie, of Rectortown; and John W.

John William Kincheloe was born July 27, 1869, on a farm in the scenic Goose Creek Valley, between Delaplano and Markham. He grew up in the Rectortowwn community, attended schools in that village, and since thirteen years of age leas been earning his own way. During his boyhood lie worked for wages as a farm hand. When he was twenty-one he became traveling representative for a wholesale hardware house at Baltimore, and for eight years traveled over Virginia territory. He then went with the noted St. Louis hardware firm, the Simmons Hardware Company, and for five years built up a large business for this house in Virginia territory. On leaving the road Mr. Kincheloe in 1913 established himself in business as a merchant at Rectortown, and the only set back in his steady progress and prosperity was the heavy loss by fire in 1921. The next year he rebuilt his store, and in the same year erected his home, one of the conspicuous residences of the old town.

Mr. Kincheloe married at Rectortown in November, 1897, Miss May Green. She was born in Rectortown in May, 1872, daughter of Daniel H. and Lizzie (Chamblin) Green. Her father was a soldier of the Confederate army, and for many years was a merchant at Rectortown. Daniel H. Green was a nephew of Senator Green of Missouri, who left Virginia when a youth, studied law in Missouri and entered politics and became one of the prominent men of his adopted state. The children of Daniel H. Green and wife were: Mrs. Susie Coleman, who died in Mississippi; Kate, who married Graham Pierce, of Rectortown; Daniel H., Jr., who died in Tennessee; and Mrs. Kincheloe.

Mr. and Mrs. Kincheloe have four children. The oldest was christened William Bryan, but is better known as Dewey, and was for three; years a cadet in the United States Naval Academy of Annapolis, and served with the rank of boatswain on the training ship Reina Mercedes. He is now a commercial representative of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company at Baltimore. He married Bessie Hough, daughter of the fire chief of Baltimore. Lull, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Kincheloe, is the wife of James Wolf. The two younger children are Marguerite and Connie, both at home.